Daniel 1
1 Treće godine kraljevanja Jojakima, kralja Judeje, dođe Nabukodonozor, kralj Babilona, na Jeruzalem te ga opsjede.
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
2 Gospodin mu dade u ruke Jojakima, kralja judejskog, i dio predmeta iz Doma Božjega; on ih dopremi u zemlju Šinear i pohrani predmete u riznici svojih bogova.
And the Lord delivered into his hand Jehoiakim king of Judah, along with some of the articles from the house of God. He carried these off to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, where he put them in the treasury of his god.
3 Kralj naredi Ašfenazu, starješini svojih dvorjanika, da dovede od Izraelaca nekoliko dječaka kraljevskoga ili velikaškog roda:
Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his court officials, to bring in some Israelites from the royal family and the nobility—
4 neka budu bez nedostatka, lijepi, vrsni u svakoj mudrosti, dobro poučeni i bistri, prikladni da stoje na kraljevu dvoru; Ašfenaz neka ih nauči pismu i jeziku Kaldejaca.
young men without blemish, handsome, gifted in all wisdom, knowledgeable, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace—and to teach them the language and literature of the Chaldeans.
5 Kralj im odredi dnevni obrok od kraljevskih jela i od vina sa svoga stola. Neka se odgajaju tri godine, a poslije toga imali bi stajati pred kraljem.
The king assigned them daily provisions of the royal food and wine. They were to be trained for three years, after which they were to enter the king’s service.
6 Među njima bijahu Judejci: Daniel, Hananija, Mišael i Azarja.
Among these young men were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
7 Dvorjanički starješina nadjene im imena: Daniel će se zvati Baltazar, Hananija Šadrak, Mišael Mešak, Azarja Abed Nego.
The chief official gave them new names: To Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.
8 Daniel je u srcu odlučio da se neće okaljati kraljevim jelima i vinom s njegova stola, pa zamoli dvorjaničkog starješinu da ga poštedi te se ne okalja.
But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or wine. So he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself.
9 Bog dade Danielu te nađe dobrohotnost i smilovanje u dvorjaničkog starješine.
Now God had granted Daniel favor and compassion from the chief official,
10 Starješina reče Danielu: “Bojim se svoga gospodara kralja; on vam je odredio jelo i pilo, pa ako vidi da su vam lica mršavija nego u drugih dječaka vaše dobi, ja ću zbog vas biti kriv pred kraljem.”
but he said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking thinner than those of the other young men your age? You would endanger my head before the king!”
11 Tada reče Daniel čuvaru koga bijaše dvorjanički starješina odredio Danielu, Hananiji, Mišaelu i Azarji:
Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
12 “Molim te, pokušaj sa svojim slugama deset dana: neka nam se daje povrće za jelo i voda za pilo.
“Please test your servants for ten days. Let us be given only vegetables to eat and water to drink.
13 Vidjet ćeš onda kakvi ćemo biti mi a kakvi dječaci koji jedu od kraljevih jela, pa učini sa svojim slugama po onome što budeš vidio.”
Then compare our appearances with those of the young men who are eating the royal food, and deal with your servants according to what you see.”
14 On pristade i stavi ih na kušnju deset dana.
So he consented to this and tested them for ten days.
15 A nakon deset dana oni bijahu ljepši i ugojeniji nego svi dječaci koji jeđahu od kraljevih jela.
And at the end of ten days, they looked healthier and better nourished than all the young men who were eating the king’s food.
16 Od tada čuvar dokinu njihova jela i obrok vina što su imali piti te im davaše povrća.
So the steward continued to withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and he gave them vegetables instead.
17 Ovoj četvorici dječaka dade Bog znanje i razumijevanje svih knjiga i mudrosti. Daniel razumijevaše viđenja i sne.
To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom. And Daniel had insight into all kinds of visions and dreams.
18 Pošto se navršilo vrijeme određeno od kralja da mu ih dovedu, dvorjanički starješina uvede ih pred Nabukodonozora.
Now at the end of the time specified by the king, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar.
19 Kralj razgovaraše s njima i među svima ne nađe se nijedan kao Daniel, Hananija, Mišael i Azarja. I tako oni ostadoše pred kraljem.
And the king spoke with them, and among all the young men he found no one equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the king’s service.
20 I u svemu mudrom i umnom o čemu ih ispitivaše kralj nađe da su deset puta vrsniji od svih čarobnika i gatalaca što ih bijaše u svem njegovu kraljevstvu.
In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom.
21 Daniel ostade ondje do prve godine kralja Kira.
And Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.
